Sixty-two Ukrainian refugees are currently living in Cheshire East with residents who have welcomed them into their homes and another 316 have applied for visas.

Cheshire East mayor Sarah Pochin said the council is very much playing its part in welcoming the refugees to the borough, as she gave councillors an update at Wednesday's meeting of the full council.

"The scheme that we're very much involved in is the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and at the moment we have 130 sponsors, so that's families that have come forward and opened up their homes to potential refugees," the mayor told the meeting at Macclesfield Leisure Centre.

"The council is very busy in terms of getting together welcome packs, information for the refugees, signposting for the sponsors.

Cllr Sarah Pochin is coming to the end of her term as Cheshire East's Mayor.

"There's putting the processes in place to pay the refugees, pay the sponsors, there's all the safeguarding checks to ensure that accommodation is appropriate."

Cllr Pochin (Bunbury, Ind) said there is ongoing liaison with schools to take the children, with the work and benefits team, as well as working to ensure there is general integration into the community.

"So there's an awful lot of work going on and the council, so far, has been in touch with 105 of those 130 families that have come forward offering their homes," she said.

At present the council only has figures available for people applying through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. There are no current figures for those people who are living with their own family members.

The mayor also thanked the voluntary sector for its work in helping the refugees and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, which has installed free smoke alarms in accommodation where necessary.

She added: "And, of course, our schools who are getting prepared to accommodate, we think, up to 135 children."

The number of new Ukrainians in Congleton is approaching double figures, with many being welcomed with open arms on community Facebook groups.

A successful appeal earlier this week even saw some small children given free technology to entertain them, and take their minds off the past few months.

Congleton: You can still apply for the Homes for Ukraine scheme here.

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